Winning community spirit (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Winning community spirit

Members of the Rowde community who have won the district round of the Calor competition (17084/04)ROWDE might not be able to compete with the picture postcard looks of some Wiltshire villages but when it comes to community spirit it is a winner.

It has won the district round of a new competition that recognises community involvement.

Rowde, which has just over 1,000 villagers, was the winner in the Kennet district of the 2005 Calor Building Community Life competition.

Colerne near Chippenham is celebrating its second award in just a few weeks.

It has won the North Wiltshire community life award and was district winner in the best kept village contest for larger villages.

In 2003 Colerne won the regional prize in the Calor Village of the Year contest Older People category. It was also filmed for a Japanese programme about village life in Britain.

Rowde and Colerne, along with two other district winners, will receive prize money of £125.

Rowde Parish Council chairman Janet Giles said: "Rowde is a caring village and we are delighted it has won the district round of this competition.

"There's lots of potential in Rowde.

"We have got a very good village magazine, a vibrant church and a good village hall.

"There's also a new primary school to be built and Rowdeford School is well supported by villagers.

"The village is endeavouring to cater for young people. There is a youth group for older children and one for young children and we are looking at incorporating an area by the playing fields for children to use their bicycles."

George McDonic, chairman of Wiltshire CPRE, said: "We are really pleased with the response we have had to the Building Community Life competition in its first year.

"The standard of the entries was very good and the judges had a tough task."

Chairman of Colerne Parish Council, Coun Dick Tonge, said: "It's great to get this recognition of the spirit of community in Colerne.

"It's proof of what a

friendly place it is and how well people get on with one another.

"We are being showered with awards this year and it a source of great pride to us all."

This year Colerne also won the Best Kept Village Award in the larger villages category.

Meanwhile, Urchfont has gained the prestigious title of 2005 Wiltshire Village of the Year.

It will now go through to the final of the English Calor Village of the Year competition.

It is the first time Urchfont has been nominated to represent Wiltshire in the English Calor Village of the Year competition.

Peter Newell, chairman of Urchfont Parish Council, said: "We are very pleased and a bit surprised as we knew that we were up against some good villages.

"We have a lot of initiatives in Urchfont such as the community shop and post office, a new youth activity area and we are proposing to extend the village hall."

The judging is expected to take place in October.